1. The Government of UAE received 33 recommendations concerning right to freedom of opinion and expression, human rights defenders and other related issues during its 2nd UPR cycle.

2. This submission demonstrates that the right to freedom of opinion and expression continues to be restricted and not fully and effectively respected and protected in practice. On the contrary, the UAE Government recently issued new legislations and amend its domestic laws as a device to repress individuals from exercising such fundamental right. Cases of human rights violation against human rights defenders have also been increasingly reported during the past few years. Enforced disappearance, arbitrary arrest and detention as well as torture and ill-treatment remain systematic and widespread in the UAE criminal justice system and are known to be used to suppress human rights defenders and political opponents.